EU’s Encryption Proposal: A Blueprint for Digital Feudalism

Bill Laboon, Vice President of Ecosystem at the Web3 Foundation, warns that the EU’s proposal to force service providers to scan private communications before encryption is applied will create a two-tier system, undermining trust and potentially leading to a future where privacy becomes a privilege for the privileged. This is particularly concerning as it creates a separate, weaker security standard for the public while allowing state actors to maintain their own secure systems. Laboon argues that this proposal represents a systemic shift in power dynamics and ultimately undermines democratic accountability.